1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multipurpose pillow and more particularly pertains to an easily transportable and light weight pillow for use in cradling infants and small children with a retractable cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of a pillow made typically of a fabric bag stuffed with a soft material is known in the prior art. More specifically, nursing pillows heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of cradling and holding the head of infants and small children are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art, which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. Additionally, conventional pillows generally provide a soft cushion on which to place the head of an infant, child, or adult while resting or sleeping, either in bed, or on upholstered furniture in which case the pillows typically have a permanent fabric cover. Further, there are a number of patents for pillows that have arm receiving openings.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,458 to Vickers, et al., which discloses a tubular pillow that includes a cover tube and method for enclosing the inside and outside surfaces of the tubular pillow with the cover tube. The tubular pillow has a tubular body formed of a soft and resilient material with a central tunnel passing through longitudinally. The length of the tubular pillow of Vickers, et al. is such that it substantially encompasses the entire length of an average arm. The cover of Vickers, et al. is a separate component. The cover tube is a fabric tube having closure elements preferably of the snap fastener type. The cover tube is mounted onto the tubular body by passing through the central tunnel and bringing each end of the cover tube around the tubular body with a set of snap fasteners engaging a complementary set of snap fasteners on the tubular body. When the cover tube is assembled to the tubular body, the tubular pillow of the invention simulates the appearance of a conventional pillow. This pillow is intended to operate as a conventional pillow and is not easily portable for travel, nursing, or feeding an infant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,769 to Thomas, teaches a generally flat specialty item for supporting a baby's head, while the baby is held by a mother's arm, and includes a soft foam pad shaped to support a baby's head, combined with a fabric case, shaped for attachment around a mother's arm, to thereby fix the pad in place when the item is wrapped around the mother's arm. The device of Thomas has a soft foam pad, with a novel configuration that does not surround the person's arm when placed between layers of fabric to hold it in place. Because of the position of the pad, this pillow requires the infant to remain in a centralized location and stationary to maintain comfort. Further, this item offers no comfort to a child lying down and not being held.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,717 to Sue is a pillow for a caretaker's arm for supporting the head of a baby. It cushions the caretaker's arm against the arm of a chair in which the caretaker is sitting while holding the baby. The pillow is tubular to receive a part of the arm of a caretaker. Specifically, the pillow forms a tube when it is expanded from a flattened condition. In a flattened, stored condition, the pillow is comprised of two side-by-side interconnected layers, which lie flat and are juxtaposed relative to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,727, to McCracken discloses a child care device that includes a pillow mounted on a baby blanket intermediate the blanket ends. The ends of the blanket are provided with mating fastening means, one on one side of the blanket, one on the other. The blanket is wrapped around the baby holder's arm, so that the pillow is on the upside and the baby's head rests thereon when the baby is being cradled by the baby holder. Other nursing pillows include U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,520 to Koch and U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 315,845.
Mothers/caretakers of an infant, baby, or small child hereinafter referred to as a baby have cradled and carried babies in their arms since time immemorial. This is generally done, while the caretaker is sitting in a chair, such as a rocking chair, with the head of the baby held against the caretaker's arm. The aforementioned actions can also be performed, while the caretaker is standing. When performing these actions, the caretaker often becomes uncomfortable due to the weight of the baby's head against the caretaker's arm. This causes localized pressure on the arm, resulting in tension, sometimes resulting in swelling and abrasion to the caretaker's arm. In addition, in many cases, the localized pressure on the arm cuts off the blood flow through that portion of the arm, causing the arm to fall asleep and in general, exhibit extreme tiredness or soreness in the arm. Similar discomfort is experienced by the baby in and around its head, neck and shoulders, and other parts of the body.
Because of this problem, attempts have been made to alleviate the discomfort to the caretaker and the baby. For instance, a blanket or ordinary head pillow have been used on the arm by being wrapped around the arm, to cushion the weight of the baby's head and to alleviate the strain on the caretaker's arm, when engaging the arm of the chair. However, these techniques are temporary at best, since the blanket or pillow tends to unwrap quickly due to arm movements of the caretaker and head movements of the baby. These movements cause the blanket and the pillow to become loose on the arm, and they become essentially ineffective in reducing discomfort. Because of this drawback, the caretaker must continually re-adjust the position of the blanket or the pillow to its ideal position.
Another matter that has not been considered in the development of the previous pillows that are used during nursing and feeding is the need for privacy of the mother/caretaker when nursing the baby in public or around non-family adults and children.
There remains a serious disadvantage of the devices currently in use with the baby, when it comes to providing the most comfort to both the caretaker and the baby. Further, the privacy of the mother when nursing has become a major societal issue.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved multipurpose pillow, which can be used for an easily transportable and light weight pillow for use in cradling infants and small children with a retractable cover. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.